# grind out

CEFR C1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grind-out
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to produce something slowly and with a lot of effort, especially when the work is boring or difficult.

For teachers: to produce something through laborious, repetitive effort; often implies a lack of inspiration or a mechanical process of completion.

## Examples

- He had to grind out a ten-page report by morning.
- The team managed to grind out a narrow victory despite playing poorly for most of the match.
- The novelist spent years grinding out chapters in a windowless basement, driven more by discipline than by any remaining creative spark.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He grinded out the work." but "He ground out the work." — the past tense of 'grind' is 'ground', even when used in this phrasal verb form.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a noun object like 'work', 'results', 'a win', or 'a report'.
- Teaching tip: connect the metaphor to a mill or machine 'grinding' to help students visualize the slow, difficult, and mechanical nature of the work.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.